22 Memorable Moments of 2017

The Brisbane Lions have had their fair share of both highs and lows in 2017. From the nail-biting victory over Essendon to the tough losses that followed. Our Lions members and fans were there for it all.

Take a look at some of the most memorable moments from 2017.

Round 1 - Queensland victors!

No better way to start the season than with a thrilling two-point victory over Gold Coast Suns. This picture captures the celebratory moments the team stood together to sing the Club's song and welcome our new Lion Jake Barrett to the tribe.

Round 2 - Zorko's gem of a boot

The final minutes of the third quarter against Essendon saw an impressive turnaround from the Lions side, kicking four goals sourced from turnovers. Dayne Zorko's 45m gem off the outside of his right boot just before the siren called to end the third quarter and had us all on our feet.

Round 3 - Ballarat boys debut

Ballarat Boys, Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry made their debut in Round 3 against St Kilda. It was a big moment for Berry who converted a 45 m set shot, his first goal in AFL, which cut the margin to only six points.

Round 4 - Martin, monster in the ruck

Despite a disappointing loss to a firing Richmond outfit, Stefan Martin was a monster in the ruck with 18 touches and 52 hit-outs. Martin was influential in keeping the Lions in the game that day.

Round 5 - A match that showed promise

The Round 5 match against Western Bulldogs looked less like a fairytale and more like a nightmare for the 2016 premiers early on, with the Lions' startling accuracy in attack opening up a second-quarter lead of 38 points. The Lions couldn't miss. They had nine goals on the board before their first behind 21 minutes into the second. But with six 19-year-olds on the side, fatigue quickly became an issue in the later stages of the game. Despite the loss, the Lions showed much promise for what the young squad may produce in future years.

Round 6 - Robinson's game

The Lions turned in what was their worst performance of the season so far, falling to an 83-point defeat at the hands of Port Adelaide. Robinson was highly sought after by the Lions side, racking up 25 disposals, six tackles and two goals. This would become Robinsons' final game for 2017 before suffering a season-ending injury the following week.

Round 7 - Rockliff makes an impact

Rockliff was awarded as Lions' Player of the Round following the Round 7 match against Sydney Swans. Rockliff stood in as Captain for an injured Dayne Beams and proved his worth, notching 32 disposals, 11 tackles and two goals.

Round 8 - Hawthorn take the win

It was a dejecting loss to the Hawthorn Hawks which saw the Lions slip to a 1-7 record loss. By Round 8, the Lions had not beaten Hawthorn since Round 12 of 2009. Having spent a number of years at Hawthorn, the Lions' Senior Coach Chris Fagan recognised the Lions played a strong game but couldn't compete against the strong Hawks side.

"I thought our effort for most of the day was good but, with those mistakes, Hawthorn are a classy outfit and they'll make you pay every time," said Fagan.

Round 9 - Beams makes a big return

Adelaide was in form with a thumping 80-point victory over the Brisbane Lions. It was our skipper, Dayne Beams, who did everything he could in attempt to turn the tide. He was inspirational in his return from injury, grabbing a game-high 40 touches. Beams came away with impressive stats, making 17 kicks, seven marks and six tackles.

Round 10 - Hippy's boot nominated for Goal of Year

Following the Round 10 match against Collingwood, Eric Hipwood was nominated for Goal of the Year. Hipwood took possession of the ball with his back to the goal and several Magpies players swarming, he brushed them off and wheeled around onto his left foot. Despite being 50 metres out and on a tough angle, distance was no issue for the young forward who drilled the ball over the goal umpire's head for a spectacular goal.

Round 12 - Victory over Fremantle

The Lions snapped back from a a nine-game losing streak, storming to a 57-point victory over the Fremantle Dockers at the Gabba. For the Lions, their second win of the season came on the back of complete midfield domination. In the third quarter, the Lions completely demoralised their opponents, having 10 scoring shots before the Dockers went inside 50 for the first time. A great reason to sing the team song with pride.

Round 13 - Standout Performance

Dayne Zorko was immense for the Lions during the Round 13 match against Port Adelaide with 32 possessions, 12 tackles and two goals. The Lions were far more competitive than their previous visits to Adelaide Oval and it was Zorko who played a large part in this. The midfielder was recognised for his impressive efforts with one Brownlow vote for the round.

Round 14 - McCluggage, Our Rising Star

McCluggage was impressive during the Round 14 match, gathering 19 possessions and laying two tackles against the GWS Giants. The 19-year-old played his best AFL game yet in Round 14 and secured an AFL Rising Star nomination.

Round 15 - The Sweet Taste of Victory

The Lions played a remarkable game, booting six of the last seven goals of the match against the Essendon Bombers. Against the odds, the Lions showed great character and great belief, attributes that Chris Fagan is sure secured that sweet victory.

Round 16 - The battle of the big cats

It was another stand out performance for our best and fairest player. Zorko unleashed one of the best individual performances of the season to finish with 36 disposals, four goals, 10 clearances and 12 tackles. His first-quarter goal, involving two disposals, one bounce and a kick from 60m on the run was breathtaking.

Nick Roberston was the Tiger Army's No.1 enemy during the Round 17 match. Robertson was charged by the Match Review Panel with two offences including headbutting Trent Cotchin and kneeing Dustin Martin. It wasn't an ideal circumstance for Robertson or the Lions who went down with a 31-point loss to Richmond.

Round 18 - Cedric's First Goal

The celebrations kicked off when Cedric Cox snapped a miraculous goal from the boundary line in the second quarter, while being heavily bumped. Teammates swarmed him to celebrate what was his first goal in the AFL, a moment he would later be awarded for as Lions' Moment of the Year.

It was during the Round 19 match against West Coast Eagles that Sam Skinner and Jacob Allison got their turn on the big stage. Both players showed promising performances during their first Lions games. Skinner - coming back from an ACL injury - finished with two goals, while fellow debutant Allison made a commendable 20 touches.

Round 20 - Close, but not close enough.

It was a close game against Western Bulldogs which looked like a possible win for the Lions as they entered the final term.Our speedy midfielders had the Bulldogs worried in the middle two quarters. The team had coughed up a 38-point advantage before being over-run badly in the final quarter. It was lack of composure and willingness to take chances that left the Lions close, but not close enough.

Round 21 - Another QClash Victory to celebrate Lester's 100th

It was a great day for the Lions. The boys were relentless against the SUNS in the final QClash for the season, bringing home a 58-point victory. Dayne Beams was honoured with his second Marcus Ashcroft Medal this season and it was a special moment for Ryan Lester who got to celebrate his 150th game milestone in style.

Round 22 - McStay's Magical Mark

Dan McStay's hanger in the third quarter against Melbourne yesterday was nominated for the AFL's Mark of the Year! Coming from a long way back, McStay charged into the contest and flew over Nick Robertson and a Demons' defender to take a massive grab!

Round 23 - The finish

The Lions' loss to North Melbourne saw the Club at the bottom of the ladder for the first time since 1998. It was a disappointing way to end the season. The Lions were best served by Daniel Rich, who had 24 disposals and was desperate defensively. The silver lining to take away from the final game of 2017 was that the Lions will now take the number one pick in November's national draft.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs